


Don't Know What I'm Chasing, But It Might Be You

by kiki_chu



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dancing Magic, Fairy!Yurio, Fantasy Deities, M/M, Memory Loss, Priest!Yuuri, Werebear!Otabek, but closer to the Shinto sense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 00:52:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14297202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiki_chu/pseuds/kiki_chu
Summary: Yuuri gets kicked out of his shrine and is told by a fairy that they must venture to the Northern Temple.orA werebear, a tiger-riding fairy, and a disgraced shrine priest walk into a temple.





	Don't Know What I'm Chasing, But It Might Be You

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks as always to my beta, [Sleigh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleigh).

A werebear, a tiger-riding fairy, and a disgraced shrine priest walk into a temple. It sounded like the beginning of the worst sort of tavern joke, aforementioned shrine priest, one Yuuri Katsuki, thought to himself.

“Are you going to open the doors, or did we come all this way for you to stare at them, Katsudon?” Yurio asked, anger only at his default level.

Yuuri sucked in a deep breath and pushed the temple doors open.

 

It began weeks ago, when Yuuri woke in a clearing the morning after the Midwinter Festival. Not just outside, Yuuri was also naked, alone, and had his collarbone covered with hickeys. It took him a few minutes to track down all the delicate silk pieces of his festival costume. Then he stumbled over to a nearby pond. All the while he racked his brains trying to figure out exactly what had happened.

He could clearly remember how terribly he ruined the festival dance. Every missed step and off-beat movement replayed itself in his brain over and over. And after that? His head throbbed. After that he had attended the feast. He hadn’t eaten any of the food that had been laid out. But he had drunk. First Celestino, the head priest, had poured him a drink, and then some of the other shrine priests. And he had emptied his cup every time it had been refilled.

Still, what had exactly had he done, and with whom?

Yuuri’s chest clenched, and he labored to force air in and out of his mouth. He bit his lip and the sharp pain helped ground him. He dipped his hands in the water, and after rinsing off his face he got to work on taming his bedhead.

Having done as much as he could resolve his absolutely debauched appearance - and he wasn’t able to do much - Yuuri trudged back to the temple and the reckoning for his actions.

Phichit, his closest friend and shrine dormitory roommate in waiting for him just outside the shrine gate. His usual smile was absent, and the pit in Yuuri’s stomach grew.

“Celestino’s waiting for me?” Yuuri spoke first, hoping to relieve Phichit from having to relay the bad news.

Phichit nodded, tears glistening in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” was all he said after leading Yuuri to Celestino’s office.

 

“Are you sure about this?”

The words whispered across Yuuri’s collar. Two cool arms were wrapped around him, but his heart was warm.

“I’m sure. I love you. I want to be with you.”

“I won’t make you do it alone, Yuuri. Even if I can’t be by your side, I’ll make sure you don’t have to be alone.”

“I’ll be alright. We can do this. I can do this.”

His cheek was pressed against something, someone. He turned his face and pressed his lips into the warm skin beneath his face.

“I don’t want to be separated.”

More kisses.

“This isn’t to separate us. This is so we can always be together.”

 

He was dismissed from his position. Celestino might have been able to excuse Yuuri’s poor performance during the festival, but neither the slight glimmer of divinity in him, nor his childhood friendship with the shrine deity, Yuuko, was enough to excuse his drunken behavior and especially not his broken vow of chastity. Yuuri collected his belongings as quickly as possible and escaped back to his home-village, Hasetsu, avoiding the other priests, especially Phichit, and not even sending a last prayer to Yuuko.

Yurio came to Yuuri days later, when Yuuri was deep into his third bowl of his mother’s katsudon of the day. Hiroko Katsuki’s katsudon was literally divine, as she had been the Goddess of the Hearth before she surrendered her divinity and allowed Yuuko to take her place. Yuuri hadn’t had katsudon since joining the shrine, but now he stuffed himself on several bowls a day.

“What are you doing asshole?”

Two fists slammed down on the table across from Yuuri causing him to drop his chopsticks. The being standing atop the bench across the table and yelling at him was about half the size of a grown person with opalescent wings on his back. The fairy had delicate features, wispy chin-length blonde hair and glowering green eyes. Yuuri stared at the stranger blankly, and the fairy hit the table again, his wings fluttering in agitation.

“Well?”

“Do I know you?” Yuuri asked.

The fairy’s scowl faded and he pressed his lips into a thin line. Then he said, “So you don’t remember.”

Yuuri searched his memories, but like with so many things lately he came up with nothing. He shook his head.

“I’m Yuri, and I’m supposed to guide you to the Northern Temple.”

The Northern Temple was the residence of the God of Winter, one of the four Great Gods. The journey was long, dangerous, and expensive. Yuuri had never expected to make the trip so why was this fairy - Yuri - saying they were supposed to go?

Yuuri’s disbelief must have shown on his face because Yuri’s wings began to express his growing aggistation. “Listen you, I’ve already given my word to take you there, so you’re going to Northern Temple even if I have to have Potya drag you the entire way!”

There was a growl of agreement and Yuuri looked over and saw full grown tiger laying behind Yuri.

 

“I need to return home soon, Yuuri.”

Yuuri stared at the sunset filtering through the trees. It wasn’t late, but the approaching winter was shortening the days.

“This time, with you, has been wonderful. It might even have been the best time of my life. But-”

“I know. You have responsibilities to return to.”

“Yuuri…”

“I’ll go with you.” Yuuri gave his companion a sidelong glance, and smirked a little at the surprise he found there.

Yuuri found himself clutched him tightly in a pair of arms. “Thank you.”

The skin again his was cool against Yuuri’s, but Yuuri returned the embrace. “I can’t leave until after the Midwinter Festival. Yuuko is due to give birth soon, so the temple needs whatever additional blessings it can get.”

Yuuri could feel a nod against his shoulder, and he gave the other man one final squeeze before pulling away.

“Yuuri, I love you, you know?”

Yuuri nodded. A slight apprehension worried him at the serious bent the conversation was talking.

“But because I love you, things can’t be that easy between us.”

Oh, Yuuri thought, this.

“I know. Instead of ‘I’ll come with you’, I should say, ‘I’ll be following you’. I’ve made up my mind so you won’t be escaping me any time soon”

His announcement received a smile and Yuuri thought that he would do anything to keep that exact smile on that much beloved face.

 

They set out the next day with the blessing of Yuuri’s parents and new nicknames for the both of them. Yuuri was slightly out of shape from days of rest and katsudon, but hours of walking on end helped remedy that. Yurio spent alternated between flying, walking, and riding Potya.

After a days of travel they were approaching the Unwelcoming Mountains.

“I know someone who can help us over,” Yurio said as the two of them stared up the sheer cliffs of ice, snow, and rock.

They found that someone curled up asleep in the back of a huge cave with walls lines by intricately carved bone.

Yurio approaches the sleeping being without hesitation and began shaking his shoulder, wings fluttering to stabilize him. “Otabek get up.”

Otabek rolled over and his eyes slitted open. Yuuri tensed, ready to flee, but then Otabek spotted Yurio, blinked and sat up.

“Yuri.”

“Sorry Beka, but we need to get over the mountains.” Yurio looked over at Yuuri and Otabek followed his gaze.

Otabek nodded at Yuuri, before looking back at Yurio. “It’s a bad time of year to cross the mountains. You should wait until spring.”

Yurio shook his head. “We can’t wait. I promised I’d take him to the Northern Temple.”

The two of them shared a look, and Yuuri looked back and forth between the two. He still couldn’t figure out why Yurio was taking him north nor why Yuuri had decided to go along.

“Being Potya in and rest. I’ll pack and we’ll leave tomorrow.” Otabek eventually said, giving Yurio a small nod.

 

“Yuuri!”

It didn’t matter what secret place Yuuri went to practice his dancing in, he was always discovered, or followed, or called to. Yuuri knew by now that there was no escape.

“Viktor, don’t you have something to do at the shrine?”

“The shrine? I already checked it out and said my greetings. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time than watching you dance.”

Yuuri flustered and couldn’t think of what exactly he should say to that. So instead he tried to ignore his audience of one in order to practice the solo he was going to perform for the Midwinter Festival. It went abysmally. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t help his hyper-awareness of the eyes watching his every move. His dancing completely lacked the charm that his small bit of divinity normally lent it.

“Yuuri, try it like this.”

Viktor was at his side and echoed the motions that Yuuri had been attempting. Yuuri tried again, but his movements were still stiff.

“Here.”

One cool hand gripped his arm and another rested on his waist. Gentle pressure guided Yuuri through the movements he had been struggling with, and Yuuri relaxed himself and allowed it.

After going through a couple of moves, the hands lifted away, and Yuuri continued to dance on his own. This time his dancing was greatly improved, and Yuuri could feel the spark within him respond

“Lovely.”

Yuuri ignored the flutter of his heart and the flush rising to his cheeks and continued to dance. If Viktor wanted to watch him dance, Yuuri would put on his best performance.

 

Yuuri found Otabek to be an excellent addition to their small group. His presence softened Yurio a little and he was invaluable for the mountain crossing. Between Otabek and Potya the group never lacked for food. And every night Otabek would transform into a bear and had Yuuri and Yurio sandwich themselves between him and Potya to stave off the cold.

After a little more than a week, the group made it out of the mountains. Yuuri relished his first steps on ground not cover in snow, and the even better news was that Otabek had decided to continue on with their group. However, Otabek kept to his human form now that there was no need to shield from the cold. Werebears were not the most welcome werebeings among human society.

Since none of them had much money on them - Yurio and Otabek not having much use for human currency in the first place - the group found an alternate way to finance their journey. Otabek played a crude handmade drum and sang folksongs, Yurio alternately sang and danced, and Yuuri danced.

Their first couple of performances were awkward, not only because they were unused to working together, but also because Yuuri needed to steel himself in order to perform again after the disaster that was his last dance. But after receiving pity compensation for the first couple of performances, and a harsh scolding from Yurio, Yuuri improved his focus, and their act improved.

Yuuri even began enjoying dancing again. And as his enjoyment increased, the divine spark within him responded. As they traveled further north their performances became more and more entrancing. Sometimes Yuuri seemed to glow and at other times little lights - Otabek liked to tease Yurio by calling them fairy lights. The money came pouring in as well, along with requests for them to extend their stay or schedule further performances. They took what money they needed, refused the job offers, and continued north.

The population grew scarcer and the extra money they earned became handy with increasing frequency. It grew colder even though spring should’ve been creeping upon the land, and soon they spent their days trudging through snow. The lands belonging to the God of Winter were wild and cold, but beautiful.

As encounters with humans becoming more rare, Otabek began to take bear shape again. When the snow became too thick on the ground, Otabek carried Yuuri on his back resulting in much scowling on Yurio’s part.

 

“Your dancing is beautiful.”

Yuuri stumbled and jerked his arms down from their pose, whirling around to face whomever had interrupted his dance practice in his usual clearing in the forest. The intruder was tall and fair, pale and clothed in blue to the point that he nearly glowed amongst the deep greens of the trees and flora. Yuuri had never seen him before.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt you. My name is Viktor Nikiforov.” The stranger held out his hand, a gesture of greeting more common in the lands to the north.

Yuuri stared at the offered hand for a moment, and then put his hand in Viktor’s. Viktor’s hand was cool as it closed around his.

“I’m Yuuri Katsuki.”

“Yuuri.” Viktor smiled. “You’re dancing is divine.”

This man was beautiful, with eyes like the clear blue sky and hair like the first frost of winter. Yuuri did his best to avoid one-on-one interaction with unfamiliar persons, but there was something reassuring about Viktor.

“Only a little.” Yuuri was a surprised at his own response.

“Well that explains it then.”

Viktor smiled again and Yuuri was unprepared by the effect it had on him in such close range. Self consciously, he tugged his hand away from Viktor.

“Did you come into these woods for a purpose?” Yuuri asked.

Viktor tapped his finger to his bottom lip, humming a second. “Maybe I was looking for you?” A pause. “Or something like that. Actually I’ve been traveling around to see a bunch of temples and shrines. The shrine for the Goddess of the Hearth is somewhere nearby?”

“Yes.” It would be easy to give Viktor directions and continue his dancing, but Yuuri was reluctant to part ways just yet. “Actually, I’m a priest serving there. I could escort you, if you’d like?”

Viktor smiled again, this time soft and sweet. “I’d love that.”

 

They finally made it to the Northern Temple. It was made of white marble, all straight lines and precise angles, but still nearly blended into the snow of the mountains around it. Yuuri stared up the stairway leading to the temple, Yurio and Otabek behind him, and wondered again what exactly he was doing here even as he climbed the stairs.

Or maybe he already knew. Because the God of Winter ruled over another domain since even before he ascended to become on of the Four Great Gods. They used to call him the God of Forgetting. And Yuuri knows the story of how his father had to prove himself worthy of Yuuri’s goddess mother. For the Goddess of the Hearth, Toshiya had spent years building and then running an inn. He had shown that he could make a home not only for a goddess, but for anyone who needed shelter.

So how did one show their worth for a god of the ice and cold and forgetfulness?

Yuuri had braved the wind and snow, the mountains in winter. Yuuri had remembered.

“Are you going to open the doors, or did we come all this way for you to stare at them, Katsudon?” Yurio asked.

Yuuri laid his hands on the heavy marble doors. They were so very cold, it seeped through his palms and into his blood and bones. Who traveled through the wilderness to worship here, Yuuri wondered. The temple was isolated, but wasn’t inhabited by the a god of loneliness.

He braced himself, took a deep breath, and heaved the doors open.

The inside of the temple was warm, much to Yuuri’s surprise. Compared to the harsh and immaculate exterior, the interior was decked out with plush rugs and well fluffed silken pillows. A great fire burned steadily in a pit in the center of the room. And there, before the fire was someone who Yuuri had slowly come to remember, but who was very dear to him. Silver hair fickered under the firelight and blue eyes brightened with warmth at the sight of Yuuri. A smile bloomed on that handsome face, warmer than anything Yuuri had experienced in a long while.

Viktor, God of Winter and Forgetfulness, held his arms open and took a step forward.

“Yuuuuuri~”

**Author's Note:**

> This was my crack at a retelling of the Eros and Psyche myth (with Otabek as a werebear as a nod to East of the Sun West of the Moon). And since it's YOI I thought I'd do something with The Banquet too.
> 
> Thanks for reading ❤


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